Netanyahu fires defence minister
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed defence minister Yoav Gallant after 13 months in the role, citing an erosion of trust amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Netanyahu appointed foreign minister Yisrael Katz to replace Gallant.
“In the midst of war, trust is more than necessary between the prime minister and his defence minister. In recent months, this trust has eroded," Netanyahu wrote in a letter to Gallant. The rift between Netanyahu and Gallant reportedly stemmed from disagreements over the handling of the war against Hamas, which Netanyahu argued could benefit from any internal discord. The prime minister’s office claimed that Gallant’s recent decisions and statements contradicted the government’s stance on the conflict.
Gallant responded to his dismissal on social media, expressing his continued commitment to Israel’s security. “The security of Israel was and will always be the mission of my life,” he posted on X. The decision sparked mixed reactions within Israel, with opposition figures criticising it as politically driven and compromising national security. “Politics at the expense of national security,” said former defence minister Benny Gantz, a member of the National Unity Party. However, mnister of national security Itamar Ben Gvir supported Gallant’s departure, stating that “a victory with Gallant is impossible.”
In another notable move, Netanyahu announced that he had asked Gideon Saar to serve as the new foreign minister. Netanyahu’s decision to remove Gallant is not without precedent; he had previously dismissed Gallant in April 2023 after Gallant publicly criticised Israel’s controversial judicial reforms. Following public outcry, however, Netanyahu later reversed that decision.
The recent dismissal of Gallant has spurred public demonstrations in Tel Aviv, with thousands protesting his removal on Tuesday night. Many demonstrators, waving Israeli flags and beating drums, demanded that the government secure an agreement with Hamas to release hostages held in Gaza. The families of those taken hostage in the 7 October, 2023, Hamas attack on Israeli territory also voiced their concerns, urging Gallant’s successor, Yisrael Katz, to “prioritise” reaching an agreement to free the hostages.
Protesters also directed their anger at Netanyahu, chanting slogans such as “Bibi is a traitor,” “Bibi in prison" and “criminal government,” as tensions around the dismissal continue to rise.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant © PHOTO ABIR SULTAN / AFP
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